Tube socket and contact terminals therefor



Jan. 5, 1932. r-.. ALDEN TUBE SOCKET AND CONTACT TERMINALS THEREFOR Filed March 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hg. 75 v.[771267L290r 9 M. ALDEN Jan. 5, 1932.

TUBE SOCKET AND CONTACT TERMINALS THEREFOR Filed March 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J3 if [Hz/enrich Patented Jan. 5, 1932 "UNITED 4 STATES PATENT -OFFICE MILTON ALDEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR, BY ASSIGN- MENTS, TO .RADIO INVENTIONS, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TUBE SOCKET AND CONTACT TERMINALS THEREFOR Application filed March 19, 1926. Serial No..96,048.

This invention relates to vacuum tube sockets and contact terminals therefor, particularly adapted for use in connection with wireless or radio apparatuses.

The objects of the invention are as follows To produce a vacuum tube socket and contact terminals therefor so constructed and arranged that when the vacuum tube is being inserted in a socket, it will first be necessary to move the same downwardly until the contact pins projecting downwardly from the bottom of the vacuum tube will contact with one set of contact terminals or plates and will cause these plates to be bent downwardly at their inner ends, then a partial rotary motion being given to the vacuum tube, the lower ends of the along the upper surface of the contact plates referred to, and the sides thereof will be brought into engagement with ears upon the inner ends of another set of contact plates, said ears being disposed preferably at an acute angle to the upper face of the body portion thereof, thereby causing a wiping contact to take place between the lower ends of the vacuum tube pins and the upper faces of one set of contact plates, and also a wiping contact to take place between the inner terminal edges of the ears on the other set of contact plates and the sides of, the vacuum tube pins, whereby corrosion on'the ends or sides of the pins where they contact with the plates will be removed. Upon releasing the pressure upon the vacuum tube, the resilient plates will cause it to move upwardly and the pins will then have a sliding contact with the inner terminal edges of the contact plate ears, and thus a combined wiping and sliding contact will be obtained between the contact plates and the vacuum tube pins.

' To these ends, the inventionconsists in an improved vacuum tube socket and in imrovided contact terminals therefor all as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved socket with the contact plates of my invenpins will slide tion positioned thereon, the same being shown in connection with a portion of a panel.

2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows on said line.

' Fig.4 is an underneath and contact plates.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation taken on .line ,55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one pair of contact plates.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the inner end portion of one pair of contact plates, a vacuum tube pin being shown in section in the relation which it assumes thereto when the vacuum tube is first inserted in the socket.

Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating one of the vacuum tube pins in the position which it assumes relatively to the contact plates when the vacuum tube has plan of the socket been rotated to bring the side of the pin into engagement with the ear on the lower contact plate of the pair.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the pair of contact plates and vacuum tube pin illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of the pair of contact plates and a vacuum tube pin in the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 8. i

Fig. 11 is aside elevation of the lower contact plate of the pair.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of a modified form of contact plates.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the contact plates illustrated in Fig. 12, the same being broken away.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the contact plates illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is an underneath plan view of a base of a vacuum tube Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same broken away to save space in the drawings.

-Fig. 17 is a sectional elevation similar to Fi 3 of a socket-with contact plates thereon emliodying a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of one of the contact plates illustrated in Fig. 17.

to the socket.

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the form .of contact plate shown in Fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a plan view of the contact plate illustrated in Fig. 22, an electrode shown in connection therewith.

Fig. 24 is an end elevation of the contact plate illustated in Fig. 22 with the electrode pin shown ositioned relatively thereto.

Fig. 25 is a perspective View of still an other form of contact plate, illustrating my invention. 7 v

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout-the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 15016, 15 is a vacuum tube socket consisting of a tubular portion 16 and a hollow cylindrical base 17. 18 is a portion of a panel to which the socket 15 is fastened by bolts 19. 20 is the base of avacuum tube provided with four contact pins 21 extending downwardly therefrom, and 22 is a pin projecting radially from the periphery thereof. Four pairs of contact plates 23 are fastened to the base 17 by bolts 24 which constitute binding posts, and these contact plates are held firmly in position u on'the base 17 not only by the bolts 24, but a o by ribs 25 located upon opposite sides,

thereof upon the under side ofthe base17, thus constituting cantilever leaf-spring members.

The contact plates 23 each consist of two contact plates, namely, an upper contact plate 26 and a lower contact plate 27 The upper contact plate 26 comprises a flat spring plate, and the lower contact plate consists of a body portion 28 which is positioned beneath the outer end of the contact plate 26, and an ear 29 extends upwardly from the body portion 28in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Theear 29 is shown not only extending upwardlyfrom the body portion 28, but inclined inwardly relatively to the body portion and at an acute angle. The tubular portion '16 of the socket is provided with a bayonet slot consisting of a main vertical portion 30, an auxiliary vertical portion 31 and ahorizontally disposed portion 32.

The operation of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive is as follows :-The base 20 of the vacuum tube is inserted in the bore of the tubular portion 16 of the socket with the radially extending pin 22' thereon pin beingentering the vertical portion 30 of the bayonet slot. The base of the tube is then pushed downwardly into the socket until the pins 21 contact with the upper faces of the contact plates 26 in the relative positions thereto illustrated in Figs. 1, 7 and 9. The vertical portion 30 of the bayonet slot is of sufiicient length in proportion to the vacuum tube, pins 21 and the base 20, so that the lower ends of the pins 21 contact with the upper faces of the contact plates 26 before the pin 22 arrives at the bottom of the vertical portion 30 of the bayonet slot. Upon .further downward motion being imparted to the vacuum tube, the inner ends of the contact plates will be bent downwardly-by the pins 21, thus bringing all the pins 21 into close contact with the plates 26, it being understood that the contact plates are made of resilient or spring-like metal.

The next step inthe process of inserting the tube in the socket is to rotate the vacuum tube in a clockwise direction, thus moving the pins from the. relative location illustrated in Fig. 7 for example, to that shown in Fig. 8, and bringing the sides of the pins against the inner terminal edges of the ears 29 on the contact plates 27. Now the vacuum tube may be rocked forwardly and backwardly while the inner terminal edges of the ears 29 have an edge or line contact with the sides of the vacuum tube pins. A wiping contact is thus obtained between the lower ends of the pins 21 and the upper faces of the contact plates 26, and a wiping contact will also be obtained between the sides of'the pins 21 and the inner terminal edges of the ears 29. When the rock ing motion has been performed suflibiently to remove any traces of corrosion where the plates contact with the pin, the vacuum tube the auxiliary portion 31 of the bayonet slot by the resiliency of the contact plates 26 an 27 which, it will be remembered at this time,

pins 21 while in engagement with the ears I 29 a sliding contact between the pins and the ears will be obtained, thus it will be seen that both a wiping and a sliding contact between the pins andthe contact plates is seany lateral movement, and will also hold it in position against any vertical movement by reason of the resilient contact plates pushing against the lower ends. of the contact pins and lmldina the radially extending pin 22 of cured when inserting the vacuum tube in the socket.

105 is released and the pin 22 is carried 'up into i p the bayonet slot.

In Figures 12, 13 and 14 a modified form of the lower contact plate is illustrated in connection withthe upper contact plate 26. In this embodiment of my invention the upper contact plate 26 is the same as hereinbefore described with relation to that form of the plate shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive. The modified form of the lower contact plate as illustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and -14 consists in a body portion 33 with an car 34 projecting upwardly at right angles to the upper face of the body portion 33 but inclined inwardly at an angle to a plane extending longitudi-.

nally of the contact plates 26 and 33 as illustrated particularly in F ig. 13. This inclination of the ear 34 on the contact plate 33 is for the purpose ofproviding an car which when the pin 21 of the vacuum tube contacts with said ear 34, the ear will be bent outwardly and will bear with a resilient pressure against the side of the vacuum tube pin while the vacuum tube is being rotated.

Referring now to the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20. This embodiment of my invention content plates the use of a socket with a straight slot for guiding the pin on the tube instead of a bayonet slot, and the contact plates are so formed as to be engaged by the-ends of the electrode pins when the tube is inserted in the socket, and when so engaged to yield laterally during a downward movement of the tube and without any rotary motion being imparted to the tube while inserting the same in the socket.

Referring now to Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20, 35 is a vacuum tube socket consisting of a tubular portion 36 and a hollow cylindrical base 37. 38 is a portion of a panel to which the socket 35 is fastened by bolts not shown in the drawings. .The tubular portion 36 is provided with a groove 39 into which the pin 22 of the vacuum tube projects as the vacuum tube is being inserted in the socket. Four contact plates 40 are fastened to'the base 37 by bolts 41, which constitute binding posts, and these contact plates are held firmly in position upon the base 37 not only by the bolts 41,but also by ribs similar to the ribs 25 in Fig.

4, and located upon opposite sides of the contact plates upon the under side of the base 37,.

the contact plates thus constitute cantilever leaf-spring members.

The. contact plate 40 is preferably composed of spring metal and consists of a flat body portion 42 with an ear 43 extending upwardly therefrom and inwardly or forwardly beyond the front edge of the body portion 42. The car 43, in the particular form illustrated in Figs. 18, 19 and 20, ex-

tends upwardly and laterally with relation to the body portion 42 and over the upper face thereof and then projects still further upwardly and outwardly so that when one of the pins 21 contacts therewith, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 and is then pushed further down as illustrated in dotted lines, Fig. 20, the car 43 will be bent from the position illustrated in full lines to that illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 20 and will thus make a good contact with the pin.

Referring now to Figs. 21 to 24 inclusive, 44 is a holder consisting of a hollow base 45 and a top 46 provided with holes 47 into which the electrode pins of a vacuum tube may-be inserted. Contact plates 48 are fastened to the base 45 by bolts 49 which constitute binding posts, the holder 44 being fastened to a panel 50 by bolts not shown in the drawings. Each of the contact plates 48 consists of aflat plate 51 constituting the body portion .of the cont-act plate and of an car 52 projecting upwardly from the body portion at the inner end thereof and positioned at an obtuse angle to the upper face of the body portion, this construction being for, the purpose of enabling the pin 21 of a vacuum tube to engage the inclined face of the car 52 when the pins of the tube are being inserted in the holes 47 of the holder 44. As illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24, the lower endof the pin 21 when being so inserted will engage the inclined face of the ear 52 and spring it from the position illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24 in full lines to the position illustrated in dotted lines in said figures. This will ensure the pin making a good contact with the plate.

In Fig. 25 another form of contact plate embodying my invention is illustrated in which a contact plate 53 has a body portion 54 with an car 55 projecting upwardly from the inner end of the body portion 54 and po- 'sitioned normal thereto. In this form of my ice invention, the lower end of the electrode pin is rounded so that when pushed down into contact with the ear 55 it will move it laterally and thus ensure a good contact.

I claim 1. A vacuum tube socket having an insulating member and spring contact devices for engaging the pins of an insertable tube, the pins extending longitudinally of the tube axis, each contact device comprising a spring member having one end secured to the insulating member and a portion of which spring member is yieldable longitudinally of the pin when the tube is inserted and another portion of the spring member extending along one edge of the spring member and substantially parallel to but ofl'set from a radius of the socket for engaging the side of the pin and yieldable laterally of the pin and substantially independently of the longitudinallyyieldable portion of the spring member.

2. A vacuum tube socket having contact devices for engaging the tube pins extending longitudinally of its axis, each contact device comprising a main spring member having a portion yieldable longitudinally of the pin for engaging the end ofthe pin and another spring portion parallel to the center of the main spring member for engagin the side of the pin and yieldable laterally 0 the pin at right angles to a radius of the socket and substantially independently of the longitudinally'gieldable portion of the spring member.

3. socket for vacuum tubes having more than two prongs and comprising means for supporting a tube, said means including insulating positioning means and spring arms having their outer ends fixed outside the periphery of the positioning means parallel tobut ofiset from radii of the socket, the inner ends of said arms being yieldable longitudinally of the socket when the tube is inserted, the inner ends of said spring arms having independently yieldable spring contact por tions bent at an agle to the sides of the arms for resiliently engaging the sides of the tube prongs and tending to rotate the tube when the tube is inserted and means for limiting therotative movement of the inserted tube.

4. A vacuum tube socket, comprising an insulating support, a number of independent spring members having spring arms lying in substantially a common plane with their outer ends secured to said support, means for effecting circuit connections with the outer ends of said arms, the inner ends of the arms being yieldable longitudinally of the socket, each of said spring members having a spring contact portion bent laterally at a sharp angle relative to the arm portion and with an inclined cut-metal edge serving to yield laterally at right angles to the axis of the arm to which it is connected and independ-' ently of the inner ends of the arms and to scratch the side of a pin of a vacuum tube and means for holding the'pins of such a tube in engagement with the contact portions.

5 A vacuum tube socket comprising an insulating base for the tube, at least three spring arms secured to the base and providing circuit terminals insulated from each other, said arms having contact portions on their inner ends yieldable longitudinall of the prongs when-a tube is inserted and laving independently movable tips at the sides of the arms adaptedito engage the sides of the prongs of a tube when inserted in the socket and arranged to exert a rotative effort on the prongs tending to rotate the tube and means for opposing the rotative effort.

6. A vacuum tube socket comprising a supporting base, at least three main s ring arms having their outer ends secured t ereto and having independent circuit terminals near their outer ends and side contact tips along the ed es at their inner ends adapted to engage t e sides of the prongs of a tube and the respective arms with which they are as-- sociated said contact tips being yieldable laterally of the axis of the socket-and independently of the main spring arms and tending to rotate the tube.

7. A socket construction for a vacuum tube which tube has more than three prongs, comprising a plurality of contacts for engaging such prongs respectively and spaced circumferentially about the axis of the tube, means for supporting the tube, and main spring members of conducting material providing electrical connections to the respective contacts and serving to yield longitudinally of the axis of the supporting means when the tube is inserted, said spring members being insulated from each other and having provisions whereby they are attached respectively to the supporting means at points spaced cir-' cumferentially about the axis of said tube and laterally beyond the periphery of said independently of the main spring members and tending to rotate the tube.-

8. A socket for vacuum tubes having projecting prongs comprising in combination an insulating member, at least three independent electric conductor elements secured to said insulating member and insulated from each other, each of said elements having a main flat spring arm portion in. a plane substantial- 1y parallel to the end of an inserted vacuum tube base and yieldable longitudinally of the axis of the tube base and each of said elements havinga further contact spring portion bent at an angle along a side edge of a spring arm portion and adapted to yield laterally independently of the main arm to tween said prong and the next adjacent prong and means for holding the tube when inserted so that the contact springportions of said elements are under stress exerting a relatively strong contact pressure on the sides of the tube prongs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MILTON ALDEN. 

